Women of Style: Ivanka Trump

A real estate mogul, devoted wife and mother and talented fashion designer, Ivanka Trump is a do-it-all woman and a true inspiration. Things we especially love about Ivanka: she is unapologetic in her opinions yet considerate of others, professionally ambitious while also family-oriented, and elegant and timeless in her tastes but unafraid to think outside of the box. We can’t wait to share Ivanka’s story with you in today’s Women of Style interview.

Career

"This is what happens when you wear black patent leather shoes to tour a construction site." - @ivankatrump

Her First Job In Real Estate

"My first job was working under the construction foreman at Trump World Tower while the project, then the tallest residential building in the world, was under construction. It was an incredible learning experience as I got exposure to all that goes into the physical development of a project from the ground up."

Ivanka making carpet selections for Trump International Hotel in D.C. Photo: @ivankatrump.

What She Loves About Her Job

"Real estate has always been my passion. I love the tangible nature of the industry…after years of hard work conceiving, planning and building a project you can see, touch and experience the results of your efforts. It is very gratifying to watch people enjoying a hotel or residential project that you spent years obsessing over every detail of."

Being able to work side by side with my father and brothers to bring our developments to fruition is incredibly fun and very rewarding.

Greatest Job Challenges

"Great execution involves sweating the details. Caring about those small details is what separates good projects from great ones! Buildings can’t be built off plans alone. You need to practically live on a construction site and examine every last detail and condition in order to ensure quality execution. This is especially true of a redevelopment project. It is much more difficult to redevelop an existing building than to build one from the ground up."

"Trump International Hotel, Old Post Office, Washington, D.C. and Trump National Doral are two amazing redevelopments that are illustrative of this. My family and I have been working exhaustively on their redevelopment. The Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue has an incredibly important history and is one of the most iconic buildings in the country. We were chosen as its developer after winning a very competitive RFP process put out by the US government. When completed, it will be the finest hotel in the country, but it is certainly a project that requires an exacting eye and a high level of attention to detail. Trump National Doral, another massive redevelopment project, is an 800 acre resort in the heart of Miami and we are nearing completion on a $250 million dollar renovation of 700 hundred hotel rooms, five golf courses, restaurants, pools, meeting spaces and more. Just this past week we hosted the PGA’s World Golf Championships - Cadillac Championship on the new Blue Monster golf course."

Ivanka in an outfit from her clothing line. Photo: @ivankatrump.

Balancing Real Estate And Fashion Design

"I try to focus on making sure I am doing what needs to get done and prioritizing effectively. Some days that means working late into the night at the office as we are closing a deal, others it means leaving work midday to meet my daughter for lunch or take my son to a doctor’s appointment. Each Sunday, I briefly reflect on the week prior and ask myself if I had my priorities in check and was where I most needed to be."

Balance is fine, but it’s a hard thing to strive for as one kid’s fever can throw any meticulously laid out plan out the window. Rather, I try to ensure that my priorities are in line with my values as a professional and as a wife and parent.

Ivanka as a teenager, with her dad. Photo: @ivankatrump.

The Best Career Advice She's Ever Received

"My father has always advised me to find what it is I’m passionate about and then strive for excellence. If you are passionate about what you do, and have a very strong work ethic, you have a great chance at success."

Crystal Renn in Ivanka's spring collection. Photo: @ivankatrump.

On The Success Of Her Line

"I feel very fortunate by the great success I have enjoyed with my lines of apparel and accessories. The products are truly a reflection of what I need and use within the context of my own life and there is a whole generation of women like me that these pieces resonate with. Today’s working woman is still depicted in traditional advertising as the working woman from decades ago: outfitted in some outdated, female version of the power suit. It is totally passé. Today’s woman isn’t afraid to express themselves at the office and elsewhere and our brand has been able to capture that in a really approachable, stylish way."

Inside Ivanka's new showroom. Photo: @ivankatrump.

How She Will Grow The Brand

"I’ve hired an incredible team to help manage my brand’s growth and pursue new opportunities aligned with our collective goal to build a corporate culture that recognizes the blending of work and life. We appeal to the kind of woman we represent: a woman who leads with strength, but is able to transition quickly between her various roles in professional and personal capacities. She is a modern woman that embodies the realities of life and works at everything she does: being a mother, nurturing her career, her marriage or relationships. She is a woman who works."

"Our clothing can't be compartmentalized to the time of day. When we get dressed in the morning that outfit has to work in the context of our various roles. I want to make women feel elegant, polished and chic and enable them to transition seamlessly between executive, mother, wife and more. Our team has incredible experience to draw from and each really embodies the brand professionally and creatively speaking. Collectively, we could not be more excited to continue our expansion."

What She Looks For In An Employee

"Obviously passion is important, but I also look for someone who is incredibly hard working and driven. I also love people who are versatile in the application of their skills and people who think outside the box and challenge convention."

Ivanka Trump Double Handle Tote, $395.

The Perfect Job Interview Outfit

"Dress for the job you want. Make sure your outfit is as smart and polished as you will be in the role you’re interviewing for. When you leave you want them to remember what you said, not what you wore. Although if they remember you being incredibly chic that is definitely okay!"

Style & Personal Life

Ivanka's Gelana sandals. Photo: @ivankatrump via @intothefold.

On Her Spring Shopping List

"After the winter we’ve had here in New York I’m ready to get out of my boots and into some strappy sandals! I love the Gelana sandal from my collection and I’m counting the days until I can finally slip them on."

What She Wears When She Wants To Feel Glam

"An amazing pair of heels and a piece of statement jewelry. Any outfit is elevated when well accessorized."

Burberry Nail Polish in Poppy Red, $21.

Her Fave Nail Polish

"I keep my nails clean and neat but polish is too high maintenance and that part of my routine - except on special occasions - fell by the wayside when my daughter was born. I do always wear polish on my toenails however and try to get a pedicure every couple of weeks."

Diane Kruger in Chanel. Photo: Getty Images.

Her Fashion Crushes

"I think Blake Lively always looks amazing. She is a great combination of stylish and sexy. She pulls off high fashion in a lighthearted way. I also think that Diane Kruger dresses beautifully. She always looks chic and elegant without appearing like she is trying too hard. The same is true for Marion Cotillard."

Her Designer Crush

"Carolina Herrera can do no wrong. I admire her strength and grace as both a designer and as a woman."

Ivanka with her son, Joseph. Photo: @ivankatrump.

Balancing Work And Personal Life

"Being a mother has made me incredibly efficient. It’s a lot easier to stay motivated throughout the day knowing I have two wonderful children and a great husband to return to at night."

Ivanka with her daughter, Arabella. Photo: Getty Images.

What She'll Teach Her Daughter About Fashion And Beauty

"I recognize that Arabella will pick up on cues I indirectly message about how I feel about myself and internalize them so I try not to be negative about superficial things or identify physical flaws in front of her. There is nothing more fashionable than self confidence (not to be confused with arrogance or conceit.) I hope that I teach my daughter to love herself--flaws and all."

Ivanka in Altuzarra. Photo: Getty Images

4 Things We Didn't Know About Ivanka

1.) "I don’t own a blow-dryer or any other hair styling tool as I don’t know how to work them."; 2.) "My favorite food is mozzarella sticks.; 3.) "I have a list of karaoke songs stored in my iPhone to reference when necessary."; 4.) "I danced at ABT for years and performed in the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center."